The Global Story cover art
Podcast · 286 episodes

The Global Story, page 5

by BBC World Service · English

Where the world and America meet, with episodes each weekday. The world is changing. Decisions made in the US and by the second Trump administration are accelerating that change. But they are also a symptom of it. With Asma Khalid in DC, Tristan Redman in London, and the backing of the BBC’s international newsroom, The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption.

All episodes, page 5

Why Britain keeps losing prime ministersWhy Britain has had repeated prime minister turnover since Brexit, and whether the country is becoming “ungovernable,” focusing on Keir Starmer’s current leadership crisis.20 May 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
Inside the war in LebanonThe Global Story examines why the Lebanon war is hard to end, how a “ceasefire in name only” is failing, and whether Lebanon could become a sticking point or key for a US-Iran deal.19 May 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
The American mayor accused of working for ChinaThe episode examines alleged Chinese covert influence and espionage in the U.S., focusing on a California mayor accused of secretly working for China and a New York case involving a “secret police…18 May 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
Did Trump and Xi get what they wanted?A BBC Global Story analysis of whether Donald Trump’s Beijing visit strengthened or weakened his relationship with Xi Jinping, focusing on symbolism, diplomacy, and outcomes—especially Taiwan and the…15 May 2026 · 26 min · 12 chapters
Eurovision: A song contest in turmoilEurovision Song Contest 2025 and how Israel’s participation amid the Gaza war has triggered the biggest boycott in the contest’s 70-year history, raising questions about whether Eurovision can be…14 May 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
President Xi’s purgesXi Jinping’s large-scale purge of China’s military leadership amid his anti-corruption drive, and what it signals about Chinese power ahead of Donald Trump’s Beijing visit.13 May 2026 · 28 min · 12 chapters
Russell Brand, born againThe episode discusses Russell Brand’s “biblical rebrand” amid ongoing UK sexual-assault charges and his US relaunch as a Christian influencer.12 May 2026 · 27 min · 17 chapters
Operation Ajax: The CIA’s Iran coupThe BBC Global Story episode explains how the CIA and Britain carried out the 1953 coup in Iran (Operation Ajax), why it succeeded, what happened to Iran’s oil, and how it shaped U.S.-Iran relations…11 May 2026 · 28 min · 11 chapters
The AI chatbot users falling into delusional spiralsHow AI chatbots can pull users into extreme delusional “spirals,” including beliefs about sentience, surveillance, and imminent physical danger.8 May 2026 · 27 min · 9 chapters
What Elon Musk did nextHow Elon Musk’s influence has shifted since a 2025 Trump cabinet meeting tied to the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), and what his ongoing legal fight with OpenAI means for AI control…7 May 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
What do Iranians think of the war?Iranians’ views and daily-life experience during the Iran war, including hopes for negotiations or regime change, economic strain, internet blackout, and reactions to Donald Trump’s rhetoric.6 May 2026 · 27 min · 10 chapters
European leaders are defying Trump. At what cost?European leaders shift from early flattery to open criticism of President Trump amid the Iran war, energy costs, and NATO tensions.5 May 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
Why is Russia shutting off the internet?Vladimir Putin’s government has imposed sweeping restrictions on Russia’s internet, including a March blackout affecting mobile service and blocking popular apps, raising fears of a “digital iron…4 May 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters
The US and Israel entered the Iran war together. Is Israel now being sidelined?Debate over whether the U.S. and Israel “entered the Iran war together” but now Israel is being sidelined as Washington sets ceasefire terms and negotiations.1 May 2026 · 27 min · 10 chapters
How Ukraine won a battle with robots aloneUkraine’s robot/drone-driven tactics and how they changed modern warfare, including a claimed first where a ground robot captured Russian troops without soldiers at risk; the episode also argues this…30 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
What was the Iran deal that Trump ripped up?The Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and why it was negotiated, what it required, and how Trump’s withdrawal and current talks differ. Guest: Ambassador Wendy Sherman, lead U.S.29 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 12 chapters
Is China ‘winning’ the Iran war?Whether China is “winning” the Iran war it isn’t fighting, and how the conflict affects China’s diplomacy, economy, and long-term strategy ahead of a likely Trump visit.28 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
Live in London: Is the 'special relationship’ between the US and the UK over?A live BBC discussion at CastFest on whether the “special relationship” between the US and UK is over, amid King Charles’s US visit for America’s 250th independence anniversary.27 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 15 chapters
What are UFO hunters really searching for?The BBC Global Story asks what UFO “hunters” are really searching for—less whether aliens exist, more why people are drawn to the idea, including how it can merge with politics and conspiracy.24 Apr 2026 · 26 min · 11 chapters
The Iran peace talks that didn’t happenThe BBC Global Story episode explains why planned US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad never happened, amid an extended Iran ceasefire and continued port blockades in the Strait of Hormuz; it also covers…23 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 11 chapters
The global network hunting predators on the internetLaw enforcement’s global effort to identify and rescue children from sexual abuse facilitated by anonymous dark-web networks.22 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 9 chapters
How Pakistan became the peacemakerHow Pakistan became the key mediator for US-Iran talks to end an Iran–US war, amid a fragile ceasefire expiring Wednesday and uncertainty about what happens next.21 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters
While the world’s eyes were on Iran, what happened in Gaza?Life in Gaza after the first phase of a ceasefire (starting Oct 2023) and what’s blocking the second phase, amid shifting global attention to Iran and Lebanon.20 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 12 chapters
The Chinese cyber-attack that could have stolen data from every AmericanThe BBC Global Story episode explains the Salt Typhoon Chinese intelligence hack, uncovered in 2024, that compromised US telecom infrastructure and could have enabled espionage against policymakers…17 Apr 2026 · 27 min · 13 chapters